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How to Fire an Employee

Posted on 06/29/2015

Let’s get down to it—firing someone is no easy task, especially if you have a small team. Although it is hard, it is a necessary process of growing a company and becoming a great team. While you have a lot of anxiety regarding the conversation, it is your job, as a leader and manager, to make it as smooth and easy as possible on the subordinate. Make the conversation easier with these three points:

Be transparent—Being fired should never come out of the blue. Assuming your business has routine performance evaluations, the employee’s poor conduct should be a familiar topic of discussion. It should be evident to the employee that firing them will be a solution to the problem.

Listen and answer—When you tell an employee they need to leave the company, be able to listen and not react. Being fired is an emotional and traumatic event, so keep an open mind and console the employee professionally. Don’t ever get frustrated and angrily defensive; keep cool, calm and collected. Also be prepared to answer any logistical or performance-related question they might have.

Talk to your team—Lastly, have an intimate discussion with your team after the employee is fired and has left the company. Go through the process, the reasoning and implications for a fired employee. Also, remind them of the company’s goals and expectations in a calm manner. You always need to be sensitive to emotions, as the employees will be shocked to see a friend and trusted colleague leave.